Semantics-enriched workflow creation and management system with an application to document image analysis and recognition

Scientific workflow systems are an established means to model and execute experiments or processing pipelines. Nevertheless, designing workflows can be a daunting task for users due to the complexities of the systems and the sheer number of available processing nodes, each having different compatibility/applicability characteristics. This Thesis explores how concepts of the Semantic Web can be used to augment workflow systems in order to assist researchers as well as non-expert users in creating valid and effective workflows. A prototype workflow creation/management system has been developed, including components for ontology modelling, workflow composition, and workflow repositories. Semantics are incorporated as a lightweight layer, permeating all aspects of the system and workflows, including retrieval, composition, and validation. Document image analysis and recognition is used as a representative application domain to evaluate the validity of the system. A new semantic model is proposed, covering a wide range of aspects of the target domain and adjacent fields. Real-world use cases demonstrate the assistive features and the automated workflow creation. On that basis, the prototype workflow creation/management system is compared to other state-of-the-art workflow systems and it is shown how those could benefit from the semantic model. The Thesis concludes with a discussion on how a complete infrastructure based on semantics-enriched datasets, workflow systems, and sharing platforms could represent the next step in automation within document image analysis and other domains

Simulating Taverna workflows using stochastic process algebras.

Scientific workflows provide powerful middleware for scientific computing in that they represent a central abstraction in the research task by simultaneously acting as an editable action plan, collaboration tool, and executable entity. Taverna workflows, in particular, have been widely accepted in the bioinformatics community, due to their flexible integration with web service analytical tools that are the essential tools of any bioinformatician. However, the semantics of Taverna have so far only been qualified in terms of the functional composition and data processing. While correct, and useful for reasoning about functional and trace equivalences, this aspect does not help with modelling the throughput and utilization of individual services in the workflow. In this paper we present a stochastic process model for Taverna, and use it to perform execution simulations in Microsoft's SPIM tool. The model also opens up the possibilities for further static analyses that are explored. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd

Simulating Taverna workflows using stochastic process algebras.

Scientific workflows provide powerful middleware for scientific computing in that they represent a central abstraction in the research task by simultaneously acting as an editable action plan, collaboration tool, and executable entity. Taverna workflows, in particular, have been widely accepted in the bioinformatics community, due to their flexible integration with web service analytical tools that are the essential tools of any bioinformatician. However, the semantics of Taverna have so far only been qualified in terms of the functional composition and data processing. While correct, and useful for reasoning about functional and trace equivalences, this aspect does not help with modelling the throughput and utilization of individual services in the workflow. In this paper we present a stochastic process model for Taverna, and use it to perform execution simulations in Microsoft's SPIM tool. The model also opens up the possibilities for further static analyses that are explored. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd

Combining SOA and BPM Technologies for Cross-System Process Automation

This paper summarizes the results of an industry case study that introduced a cross-system business process automation solution based on a combination of SOA and BPM standard technologies (i.e., BPMN, BPEL, WSDL). Besides discussing major weaknesses of the existing, custom-built, solution and comparing them against experiences with the developed prototype, the paper presents a course of action for transforming the current solution into the proposed solution. This includes a general approach, consisting of four distinct steps, as well as specific action items that are to be performed for every step. The discussion also covers language and tool support and challenges arising from the transformation